


golden brown

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Baking, Canon Typical Jester Friendship, Character Study, Cupcakes, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22859221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: “Hey, Essek, could you come pick me up from somewhere maybe please? And don't tell the others, it's a secret. I'll owe you! I could-”And then the spell cuts off.
Relationships: Jester Lavorre & Essek Thelyss, Jester Lavorre & Isharnai
Comments: 18
Kudos: 138





	golden brown

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes you have to think about a fic for a while and sometimes the fic is over before you even consider what you're writing you know?

“Hey, Essek, could you come pick me up from somewhere maybe please? And don't tell the others, it's a secret. I'll owe you! I could-” 

The message cuts off, and Essek waits a few seconds in case there's a continuation. There isn't. He sits up a little straighter, pushes his hair back. The few guards and dignitaries in the room are either too enraptured in their research of too indifferent about what the Shadowhand gets up to. 

“I'll be there in a moment. Just tell me the location, as close as you can.” 

It's a hut, nestled against some mountains in the Empire. It looks rather decrepit, but the amount of magic that rolls off of it in waves makes him dizzy, so he settles onto the ground and waits for the acclimatization to kick in. It doesn't. It's cold out here, and rainy, and he wishes that Jester had messaged him while he was at home so that he could have grabbed his parasol at least. 

Still, he pulls his hood up and waits- should he knock? He doesn't even really want to get near it. The windows are shuttered- no- one of them is open actually, dark curtain fluttering with the wind. Are those pastries-

“Essek!” The door flies open and Jester stands there, half covered in flour and batter, holding a bowl in her hand. “You're early!” 

“You made it sound as if you wanted an immediate pick up.” 

“Whoops? Come in, though? If you want? Say, you want- The cupcakes are going to be done in ten minute.” 

“Where are we-” But Jester is already inside. The door stays open, even when the wind picks up and should obviously slam it shut, so Essek picks himself up and floats to the threshold. 

It's warm inside, at least. 

Apparently the pick up time wasn't the only thing that Jester forgot to mention. 

The- The woman? Takes up a large amount of space, massive and imposing, hands long and fingers longer, somehow, reaching up to the rafters to pull down a cage of some sort before turning to stare at Essek. 

“Who is this?” Her voice makes something in Essek want to flee- to never stop fleeing. 

“My friend. Essek- He's very cool.” Jester is busy stirring the same bowl she had earlier, not even bothering to look up. “He can teleport.” 

“Hm.” Says the woman and looks him up and down and he feels horrifically small. “And does she bribe you with sweets too, or am I special.” 

It doesn't even sound like a question. 

“She's offered.” He says and debates taking his cloak off. Everything is dusty and filthy, spider webs on every corner. “I've yet to take her up on it.” 

“Today though, maybe?” Jester's voice is hopeful and it's hard to argue against it so he keeps to himself. The woman uncurls her fingers, and the motion takes so much longer than it should, to point at a chair by the table. He drifts until his feet suddenly trip over the floor and he turns to look, to catch the smile on the woman's face before she turns away to look back at Jester's work. 

“Today's already strange.” There's chittering up in the rafters, and a degree of warmth that feels invasive this far from the fire. “I don't see why not.” 

He smells cinnamon and cardamom and something almost sickly sweet. He's never been a fan of sweets, or taking food from relative strangers, and even if he and Jester are friends- friends enough that she seems to trust him to pick her up and keep secrets- this woman is something else entirely. 

A minute passes, and then another and another. 

He's still tense, he can feel it in his shoulders, but the woman less so, he can see it in hers- or where he thinks her shoulders would be, under the cloak. 

Jester hums, and works on pouring the batter on a sheet of metal while her little pet scampers out and rushes to the table. He leans down to pick it up and it lets him. 

The woman watches Jester closely, Jester specifically and not her actions. 

And finally, after an embarrassing amount of time it clicks. 

This is the woman.

The woman that cursed Nott. 

And Jester is baking cupcakes for her, _with her_ , even. 

Aside from the spike of fear immediately followed by a spike of curiosity, he can't bring himself to say he's surprised. It's just so Jester, isn't it? Of course she'd find a way to be friends, even with someone like this. 

The woman moves again, towards the table- no- just out of the way so that Jester can set her tray into the fire and pull out the other one. 

“These have to chill or all of the frosting will melt and that would be really, just, such a bummer, orrr we _could_ have really hot muffins that will probably burn, but that's kind of fun too, you know?” He's not sure which one of them Jester is talking too- both maybe- but he shrugs. 

“Whatever tastes better.” The woman says and moves to sit down across from Essek. “Your choice.” She's staring straight at him, now, and he can't look away. He feels small, like when he kneels in front of his Queen and his entire court. At least there he had the comfort of looking at the floor. 

It feels like if he looks away for even a second she'll grab him with her massive hands and swallow him whole. 

She does reach her hand out. Essek doesn't flinch, even when she gets as close as she does. The animal in his lap jumps up and into her hand, chittering. 

She pets it. 

It's a ridiculous image and he's going to have nightmares for weeks. 

“Done!” He does flinch, and the woman starts to laugh. “What- What's the joke?” She sets a cupcake down on the table, cut perfectly in half. 

“Nothing.” Essek mumbles and picks up a half with out even thinking about it, and shoving it in his mouth. 

To Jester's credit, they do taste great. Maybe a bit too sweet, but none of the flavors are over powering, and the frosting is light and airy. He has to wonder why she adventures when she can clearly open a bakery anywhere she wanted and retire after five minutes. 

“Well?” She asks, expectantly. “Good?” 

“Yes.” The woman says, “Like always.” 

“Aw.” Jester smiles, beams, even, and looks expectantly at Essek. “Is she right?” 

“Yes.” He takes another bite. “It's making me speech less.” 

“Yes!” And she pumps her fist in the air. “Okay, I'll frost the rest of them, and then the cookies and then we can go. Okay?” 

Essek nods and smiles and she jumps a little bit, rushing back to the counter. 

Sprinkle is in the woman's cloak, falling asleep. 

“Isharnai.” The woman says, and holds out a hand, grinning now. 

“Essek Thelyss.” Because he's nothing if not polite. “How did you meet our mutual friend?” 

“You already know that.” She says, and runs a finger along the plate, bringing it up to her mouth and licking the excess frosting off. “Don't you?” 

“Essek, she did us a favor, she's super nice.” 

“A favor.” He echos. “The Nien owe me a few favors too.” 

“Collect anytime when we're not, you know, busy saving the world or whatever.” Jester calls over her shoulder. 

“Not safe too owe someone many favors.” Isharnai says and Jester shrugs. 

“Essek is cool, though. Do you remember Caleb- he has a big crush on Caleb.” 

“I don't.” Essek blinks, because they both say it at the same time. He can't help the chuckle, even if he feels his face warm up. Isharnai tilts her head and smiles too. 

“Cheerful lad, are you?” 

“How can I not be, with a friend like that.” 

Jester turns, all smiles at the both of them. 

“Truly.” Isharnai says, and stretches her arms out. Her fingers almost scrape against the walls. “How can you not.” 

**Author's Note:**

> comments always very very appreciated
> 
> find me on[ tumblr ](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/) and [ twitter](https://twitter.com/miurmiurmiur)


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